The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-11-19
For THE UNIvERsALIsT.
VISIT TO MOUNT VERNON.
BY MRS. E. L. SHERWOOD.


"What Begin sightseeing with visit
to Mt. Vermont" said Maurice.
eyes; we will go to Mt. Vernon to-mor.
row morning." replied Ernestine. This
lovely weather is too beautiful to last
long; and we can easily go sightseeing
indoors, through the Capitol, museums
or galleries of art if it does rain; and
thus it was that a sweet woman had her
say and her way, and to Mt. Vernon we
went on Monday morning, which was
we'll; for on Tuesday it did rain, and for
every day following for two weeks, with
thunder, lightning, wind and rain, regu-
larly at four o'clock in the afternoon, IL
by any chance the morning hours proved
fine, which piece of "luck" put Ernestine
in good humor with herself and made
the rest of us bow our necks, submissive
ly, to all her suggestions as the very acme
of wisdom.
Monday morning proved fine and bright,
and refreshing as the smile of the god
dess Juno; and that hazy, soft, pearly-
white, golden amethystine hue of atmos-
phere, which is seen nowhere else in
such perfection as at the capital OF our
country; and in the perspective reaches
of view to be seen from the deck OF a
steamer on the Potomac river; loveliest
stretches of unpaintable color spread
like soft lace veil over the Virginia and
Maryland shores; while we seemed to be
floating past the broad, green parade
grounds of the arsenal, where dropping
willows hung over the wall at the waters
edge, and trembled in all their graceful
limbs at the loneliness reflected there.
Old piles, wharves, lighthouses, wood
yards and coal heaps, gave picturesque
background to the pretty scene we were
fast gliding into; and mimic sailors,
yachts, schooners and tugs were so many
objects of beauty as the one flew as
with white wings, and the other went
putting and fussing about its business, as
though all the world we're depending on
its getting there soon, to help it novel
There was quite crowd Of pilgrims
aboard, who we're easily amused and they
laughed and ieered at car load OF SOL
diers,-mostly zouaves-in white CATERS,
red leggings, blue blouses and yellow
turbans, who arrived just two minutes
too late, and would have to wait for the
next trip, there being two day on &C.
count of the national drill that week. So
it was mishap not quite SO bad as it
might have been.
or course Ernestine must sit on deck
il it was a little too cool for comfort; but
our wraps and even waterproofs would
keep the wind off, and pretty soon, as
usual, the boat band, consisting of two
members, one fat old man who comes
around and performs on the harp, and
a whistle that initiates the hooking bird;
while his companion, who is a stubby,
black haired italian, second violinist and
collector (the treasury being his old
greasy hat) entertained all who cared TO
listen, to "The Star Spangled Banner"
"Dixie" and popular airs from the Mas
colt and Mikado, until presently, we came
upon the old forsaken warehouses with
eyes knocked out Il mean windows) by
the surges of time and the bad boys OF
Alexandria, for boys are still prankish in
that ancient town, which seems much
down at the heel, and to have gone dis
tinctly into a state of hopeless decline.
or course, the photograph man" was
along; and he perched himself conspicu.
ously on the hand-rail and pointed out
the historical appendage to the hotel, i
two stored dormer Widowed house, with
gallery running across its front, the
house where General Braddock made
some sort Of "treRty" in Revolution
airy days, or was it before? 1t is now rath-
er hazy and covered over with the
lichens and MOSES of tradition until
one is not quite certain what it was
all about. The place is venerable with
age, and has history, and that is enough
to have preserved it from destruction
when the hotel was built, and throw a
halo of interest around it still. Soon its
dormer windows, blinking like lights
under deeply shaded eyebrows were out
of view, and our self-made guide, point
ed out the round belfry tower of the